little boy wonder
by princessludwig
Summary: Gerita superhero au. Ludwig "Permuri" is a hapless superhero in a modern world. Feliciano is his villain, and greatest enemy. But without a villain, a hero is nothing, and Ludwig cannot help but rely on Feliciano, in more ways than one. germany/italy.


Without a hero, a villain is successful; without a villain, a hero is nothing. Feliciano made Ludwig everything he was ever going to be, gave him a reason to live without them ever meeting in a context other than to bash each other's heads in. So it was only a matter of time before the two of them met in a context like this, he supposed.

Feliciano did this every now and again; called him out to a "negotiation" at some five star authentic restaurant. Italian was his favorite. Once Ludwig, or rather, _Permuri_ had made it to the negotiation, it became clear they were hardly here to talk politics. Ludwig knew when he attended these several burglaries were successfully carried out across town, but the dip in pay was well worth this, whatever it was. Because sometime between then and now, lithe fingers had slipped the mask from Permuri, and a gentle voice called out to him, "Ludwig," like a prayer. He was so reverent, and not just of Permuri, but of Ludwig. Ludwig was weak, and Feliciano knew just how to exploit him, how to bend him over backwards and make him kiss the ground the conman walked on, all while making Ludwig feel like a god. He didn't know when he dropped his mask; when Permuri, the name he held for himself in front of everyone else, was lost; and he became Ludwig whenever he saw the man. It was a dark affair, but you either died a hero, or lived long enough to become the villain. Ludwig didn't fancy himself a villain, though he knew Permuri was slowly dying, and he was becoming…something.

He didn't aid in Feliciano's conquest, he just didn't issue so large a punishment, for as long as he was subsidized. The mayor enjoyed giving Permuri enough money to pay for the month's rent of his dingy apartment, but Feliciano gave Ludwig sultry glances and a deep purr of '_my little boy wonder'_ as he fed him fine cuisine and had his year's rent paid in full, all with the price tag of only Ludwig's time, and his passion.

Ludwig wouldn't have chosen for things to end like this, but by now, he craved Feliciano. Feliciano filled in for everything he'd wished he had as a child, when the nuns at the abbey called him a demon, because that's what his mother had said, because that's what his father had thought, all because he could walk through the nursery walls. His parents hadn't loved him, and none of his brothers had ever tried to make contact. He remembered very little of the fragile years at home, before his mother dropped him at the abbey doors for good, before his life became this dull monotony.

If there was one thing that was good about the abbey, besides the constant attempted exorcisms, it was the access to books. Sure, most were religious texts, or those deemed "appropriate", but he got a fair amount of reading done, and became fascinated with Latin. That's where his name had come from – _per muri_ – through walls. He could've done better, but at least most of the common people didn't understand.

Feliciano did, though, running his fingers over the hemming of Ludwig's cape, carefully tracing embroidered letters, "_Causa iusti_," he whispered reverently, "…For the sake of justice."

Ludwig -Permuri- doesn't wear the cape often, usually only for public ceremonies or awards, where it makes him look grander. And as of late, he wears it for Feliciano too. Feliciano will smile warmly at him as he fingers the hem, draping the cape over them like a blanket, and Ludwig's heart will skip beats and it feels so childish but so, so _good_. Feliciano knows Ludwig had none of this as a child, and he takes great care in giving back to him little pieces of his own childhood, before the super villain arose.

Ludwig finds it funny, finds it funny that Feliciano, the one who had so much and is so hyper intelligent is the one who chose the path of – well, he can't exactly call it evil. Feliciano does none of it himself, but he pays his helpers in a fifty percent cut of the profits, and with as many operations and schemes he designs a day, he's made himself a handsome profit, and made real use of his masters in computer science. But he had so much already, so what drove him to crime? Feliciano shrugs at the question, says it'd be a waste of talent to sit behind a desk programming all day for a company. It's much more fun to see how many systems he can hack into and flicker lights and cameras on and off at his will, enabling seamless operation of his underground empire.

Feliciano finds it sad that Ludwig is the hero. He tells the blonde with sweeping, slow movements he is special and important without the cape and the mask, he is someone who can live with the rest of them however he chooses, and it's okay to cry sometimes. Ludwig needs this in his life, needs someone who cares, or at least pretends to, after twenty long years spent all alone.

Feliciano feeds his rage and thirst for vengeance as well. Feliciano tells him how wrong it was for his parents to leave him, how wrong it is his siblings do not care, how wrong the abbey was for telling potential adopters that child was a demon, and how wrong the city is for letting their savior starve in a dingy, crowded apartment. He wraps lithe fingers around Ludwig's chin and tells him he deserves more, deserved more, and they didn't deserve him. He tells Ludwig in a perfect world, karma would hail fury against them. But this isn't a perfect world, and Ludwig must take action to make them feel his pain, make them understand what they've done to him. Ludwig is hesitant, but whispers that he wants his family to love him again, will they love me if they understand?

Yes, Feliciano tells him, if they see how much they hurt you, they'll understand.

Ludwig remembers how he and Feliciano first met like this. A letter was left, folded and sealed with a wax seal, on the doorstep of the mayor, claiming to be the man behind all the crime of the city, cordially asking the esteemed hero Permuri to dinner at 6 o'clock sharp, to discuss conditions under which he would halt further crime. Ludwig agreed, donning his full costume, and seeing Feliciano Vargas had made reservations for the entire restaurant that night, so important where these negotiations. Feliciano had stalled, trying to verbally and physically tear the mask from Permuri, but the first time he'd held strong, held strong until Feliciano kissed both his cheeks and called him beloved before leaving, promising the _actual_ negotiations would occur next week. Ludwig had held his hand over the cheek all that night, unaccustomed to the closeness, and desiring more.

Somehow it has gotten to this point, gotten to the point where Feliciano knows who Permuri is, knows where he lives, what he likes, and what he eats. Feliciano knows Ludwig was first inspired to heroism when he saw Kitty Pride in an X-men comic he'd recovered while dumpster diving. Feliciano knows Ludwig loves comic books and cartoons, knows that at heart, Ludwig is still a child, partly because he never had the chance to be one. And Feliciano loves him unconditionally, for all of this. So it is hardly a surprise when Feliciano invites Ludwig to dine at his own manor, and Ludwig is escorted into the estate of the five story mansion in a private limousine, with a new suit waiting for him inside. Feliciano offers him fine wine – the kind Ludwig knows costs thousands per bottle, and Ludwig cannot help but accept, sliding into his new tailored suit with ease. Feliciano suggests that they do this every week, until they are kissing, kissing hard and deeply and Ludwig is breathless and red and wants more, so much more.

It doesn't take many weeks more for Feliciano to give Ludwig a full tour of the estate, stopping at the master bedroom, where he reveals the stone hearth and Jacuzzi, and a shower with many benches and faucets, and armchairs with tall bookshelves packed with all numbers of reads, and finally, the bed. The bed is king sized, if not somehow larger. It was royal red and gold, with a flowering canopy and silk curtains to hide it from the outside world. Feliciano pulls Ludwig inside, and the kissing begins again in earnest, though this time, Feliciano is sure to slide Ludwig's sweater vest (another gift, he admits) to the floor, pulling his own shirt off in a fluid motion. Ludwig is nervous, but he quickly stops worrying when Feliciano straddles him, whispering sweet nothings into his ear as hips jolt down suddenly.

And after Ludwig is done screaming his name, Feliciano will bring him down and hold him close in his luxury king sized bed-_our_ luxury king sized bed, Lud, he whispers, I already had all your things moved over, you needn't worry about rent anymore. Ludwig knows Permuri has just been slaughtered by that sentence, the hero is dead. Ludwig can't bring himself to care anymore, not when Feliciano has given him everything his own family stole from him and more.


End file.
